Anybody here ever refuse to be catheterized through their urethra?

@jercalif
Also, because I'm not good at all of self-inflicted ANY level of pain I don't support starting with the self-cath idea. Though it sounds good it's all in the execution.

Interesting. If you change the "she" to a "he" it becomes even more "interesting". 🙂
Just how effective IS the numbing gel?

@grandpun
And yet to many others self-catheterization is "no big deal". There seems to be a wide spectrum of pain possible. Until I experience catheterization, I am not going to know where I fall on the pain spectrum.
Thank God I have a sympathetic primary care provider who is willing to allow me to experience catheterization prior to needing it on an emergency basis.

My biggest fear with my high dose brachytherapy surgical procedure was the urinary catheter placement and removal. At my strong request, they waited for me to be anesthetized before the inserted it so I felt nothing of course. When they removed it post surgery before I was discharged....the nice nurse gave me Fentanyl in my IV and I did not feel the removal either.

That said, I have a friend who has been treated for bladder cancer and had multiple urinary catheters that they give you numbing medicine before they insert it and he said it was not bad at all.

Good luck to you.

@capatov I suppose that since they already were going to anesthetize you, they didn't insist that you be awake for the catheterization, and since your were already IV'd at discharge, she was willing to use the existing IV to administer Fentanyl?
Actually, I'm kind of surprised that she was willing to use the Fentanyl even though you already had the IV installed at the time...the DEA has intimidated many medical providers into being very stingy with painkillers for fear of legal action against them.

I was shown how to self-catheterize before being sent home after TULSA PRO. If a nurse or someone else inserts the catheter, they determine the speed of insertion, based on your reaction. If you insert it yourself, then you insert it according to how you're feeling as it slides in. I like doing it myself because I'm in control. Taking it out is the same concern. Nice and slow...no problem. I actually kind of enjoy it.

Prior to my radical prostatectomy, with full knowledge that I would be catheterized, I "told" my doctor: "I don't know how or when you insert the catheter prior to surgery, but you will NOT insert that catheter while I am awake." He quickly said: "I always insert the catheter as soon as you are under anesthesia."
It was no thrill 11 days later when it was removed though. In typical "nursing assistant fashion", the nurse assistant said: "just take a deep breath and exhale blowing hard as I 'gently remove' the catheter...it won't hurt at all." She just did one, firm, long pull/tug on the catheter, and for those 3-4 seconds I thought I would go through the roof in discomfort. Fortunately though, right when the discomfort was going to peak, the catheter was out. I looked at her and said: "I thought you said it won't hurt at all?" She smiled and said "it's easier if we just tell you that." Literally. I just casually, but directly said: "you should never lie to patients about anything." So...your "good news" is that you will be asleep when the catheter is inserted. Secondly, I don't even know how you could manage a supra-pubic catheter for 10-14 days. Managing the traditional catheter at home those first post-op 10-14 days is an annoyance at worst. You just visually inspect the bag filling up, and decide when you will go to the toilet to open the stopcock to drain it. Good luck...and don't worry.

@jercalif - Believe me...given my fear of foley catheters...I feel very lucky to have been asleep at insertion and having a compassionate nurse to provide fentanyl before removal. They also removed 17 tiny high dose brachytherapy catheters at the same time and I felt very little.

Fortunately, I was able to urinate upon removal of the catheters and able to go home.

@rlpostrp I just learned (I think) that the Foley catheter during RALP is not just to enable urination, it is also the "stent" that enables the urethra to heal in the form of a tube, and so if that is correct then I should do as you did and request or demand that the catheter be installed after the anesthesia is administered.
As far as the removal, I wonder what they would have said if you said that you weren't willing to have it removed without substantial anesthesia? Apparently legally they cannot just hold you down and force it out of you, and so they would either have to comply with your wishes or send you home without removing it.
On one hand, I could see them arguing against "unnecessary anesthesia", but on the other hand, isn't it AT LEAST equally unethical to send a patient home without removing the catheter...and then just allowing infection to develop, etc?
I honestly don't know what a urologist would do, under these circumstances.
My urologist "fired" me...as in "either you have the systematic biopsy or find another urologist, because if you don't do the biopsy then I won't help you with your other urological needs, either...and there will be no discussion"... and btw, he is the only urologist within a 2 hour drive from here.
I was hesitating about having a systematic biopsy and wanted to explore the possibility of having a fusion biopsy.
So I don't have any confidence at the current time that any urologist would necessarily do the ethical nor compassionate thing.

@jercalif
Howdy - "the only urologist within a two hour drive"? You need to relocate or expand your radius of travel. You need to find a large urology group that is part of a large hospital with state of the art diagnostics, surgical interventions, and follow-up treatment. Don't "settle" for the closest available...your life depends on it. If you live someplace rural, I encourage you to do the longer drive to the largest city you can get to, even if you have to spend the night at a hotel or with a friend or family to get there.